Game device



S. J. BENS July 6, 1943.

GAME DEVICE Filed Aug. 15, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS A S. J. BENS GAME DEVICE July 6, 1943.

2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Aug. 15, 1941 |NvENToR amue J en/y ATTORNEYS Patented `luly 6, 1943 UNITED STTESTENT OFFICE GAME DEVICE Samuel J. Bens, Stamford, Conn.

ApplicationV August 15, 1941, Serial No. 406,943

(ol. 35-29) v l2 Claims.

This invention relates to game devices, and particularly to indoor or outdoor game devices which are equally advantageous for small or large groups of players, and which are adapted for use in playing a variety of exercising and educating games. ods of playing, exercising and educating.

Objects of the present invention are to provide a play device which: requires relatively little space; may be used with equal advantage by youngsters differing widely in age and size; may be used by children having physical handicaps; will, or will tend to, overcome inferiority complexes in children; allows tired players to easily step out of the game while other fresh players step in; is safe, or has little or no hazard connected with its use; may be played indoors or outdoors; is exciting and stimulating; keeps the players conned, so that they do not interfere with other nearby games and players; is educational; re-

quires very little or no supervision; stimulates and develops quick thinking and coordination; promotes a healthy competitive spirit; and makes possible good healthy exercise.

Another object is to provide methods whereby youngsters may play, exercise and be educated in a new and interesting manner.

Features of they present invention resulting from the attainment of the foregoing objects are the provision of an enclosure with a plurality of obstructions therein; an enclosurewith a plurality of rows of obstructions therein with at least certain of the obstructions relatively staggered to provide devious paths within the enclosure; a game device with an enclosure of such height that'small players'can easily enter thereunder while larger players can easily enter there"- over; extensions for the obstructions hereinabove referred to; a storage pocketor pockets within Vthe enclosure, to hold educational members; a

table, lor tables; preferably 'around'the outer edge of the enclosure to receive the educational members; and rotatable obstructions within the enclosure.

Another feature is the provision of divers methods of playing games whereby the players interest may be held, and whereby real exercise, play and educational advantages are quickly passed along to the players.

Other objects and features will hereinafter appeal'.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of oneform of the invention.

It also pertains to new meth- Fig. 2 is a side view of the game device shown in Fig. 1. l

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an extension.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a modified form of the game device.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of one form of obstruction. t

vFig. 6 is a sectional View, taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentarydetail view of another form of obstruction.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the obstructions of Figs. 1 and 2, with a pocket.

Fig. 9 is a perspective detail View of one educational member. l

Fig. 10 is a detail view of a conning member.

Before describing the present improvements and mode of operation thereof in detail it should be understood that the invention is not limited to' the details of construction and arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings, which are merely illustrative of the present preferred embodiments, since the invention is capable of other-embodiments, and the phraseology employed is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. For example, the term play device as used herein embraces the play, exercise and/or educational functions and characteristics of the invention.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, and first to Figs. l, 2 and 3 inclusive which show a present preferred embodimentI of the invention, there is disclosed a plurality of side and end s upports l2 and I3, respectively, preferably and suitably forced or set in the ground. A member, or members, i4 isV suitably secured to and extends from support to support at the upper ends there- 'of and preferably from two to four feet above the bar.

Within the enclosure l5V the present invention provides a plurality of obstructions I6, each including a pair of posts Il suitably set in the ground, with an interconnecting head I8 whichV `is vpreferably Vlarger than or projecting beyond the posts in order to safely keep the player, and particularly 'the players feet, away from the posts.

The obstructions i6 are preferably in rows, for example in rows A, B and C, and "spaced `from each other and from the enclosure 'l5 to provide a plurality of what may be termed straight paths E and F between the rows, and path D between the obstructions and the enclosure. The rows A, B and C may be straight or irregular.

Also, it should be particularly noted that the obstructions I6 in the row B are staggered laterally relative to the obstructions I6 in rows A and C in order to provide devious paths across the enclosure, to further tax the skill of players.

The game device so far described may be used for playing a variety of games. For example, a group of players may enter the enclosure, the larger players by stepping over and the smaller ones by sliding under the member I4. the group is made the It player While the others walk, run and/or dodge between the sides and ends of the obstructions I6, or between the obstructions and member I4 of the enclosure I5, in an effort to avoid being tagged by the It player. The long straight paths provide a space for speedy elusiveness, or speedy catch-up by a fast It player, While the devious transverse channels between the laterally offset obstructions provide added facilities for elusive, tricky or brainy play, whereby the slower and/or smaller players have a chance against the fast and/or bigger players. Similarly, a different form of the game may be played by permitting all the players, including the It player, to run only longitudinally of the game device (i. e., not laterally or across) or between the adjacent ends of the obstructions. In yet another related way the game may be played by allowing only the It player to move crosswise of the game device between adjacent ends of obstructions- To further vary these games, and use of this game device, tagging may be permitted across the tops of the obstructions. However, and preferably, the rules of these games permit tagging only in the lanes. v

If preferred, extension I9 in the form of a screen 2i! secured to a rectangular frame 2l with depending legs 22 adapted to enter vertically disposed holes 23 in obstructions I6v may be used to prevent tagging across the top of the obstructions. By having the screens 2l) in the extensions opaque, or translucent, the element of surprise, and greater excitement, can be injected into the games.

Figs. 4, and 6 disclose a further modified form of the game device so far described, differing from the first form primarily in the provision of straight and vertically disposed large postlike obstructions 24, within a slightly differently shaped enclosure 25. The latter is madersirnilarly to the enclosure I5, with side members 2l? nailed or otherwise suitably secured together, and at the same time is supported and spaced from the ground by four-corner posts 21.

Three rows, G, H and I, of obstructions 24 are also provided, plus two additional corner bstructions at J and K, all spaced from the enclosure member 26 to provide straight paths for the players between the adjacent rows, and between the outer obstructions 24 and the enclosure member 2S. The obstructions 24 (see Figs. 5 and 6) are provided With a rotatable head 28 including three spaced annular discs 29 securedV One of band suitably nailed to the circular segments 29 of the obstruction 24 to better coniine articles within pockets 3l.

Holes 33 in the head 28 (or discs 29) accommodate the upper section of a post 34, part of the obstruction 24, while the lowermost of the three discs 29 rests upon a suitable flange 35 so that the head 23 may be advantageously rctated. The flange 35 may be turned integral with the post 34 or it may be glued, nailed or otherwise suitably secured thereto. Similarly, the annular discs 29 and plates 3 of the rotatable head 28 may be nailed, glued, bolted or otherwise suitably secured together, as will be readily appreciated.

The obstructions 24 may be provided with extensions, similarly to extensions I9 on obstructions I5, but merely proportionately reduced in size, as will be readily appreciated. All of the games heretofore described, by way of example, may be played in this modied form of the game device, plus others to be described.

To vary the games playable with the present invention, a confining member 3E (see Figs. 4 and l0) may be provided to denne aconning channel 31 in which one, two or three players, as decided, may take refuge from the tagger or It player. The confining member 36 is preferably provided with an inverted U-shaped bracket 38 secured to the end of a board 40, as by wood screws, and adapted to hook over side member 26 of enclosure 25. This bracket alone may support the confining member 36 onthe enclosure 25; however, to better support the free end of the confining member 36 another inverted L-shaped bracket'SQ is also preferably secured thereto in order to hook over the top of an adjacent obstruction 24 (see Fig. 4).'

As shown in Fig. 5, posts 34 of obstructions 24 (and similarly, as will be readily appreciated, posts II of obstructions I6 as well as posts I2, I3 and 21 of enclosures I5 and 25) may each be provided with a pointed projection 4I adapted to be forced or otherwise suitably supported down in the ground. Alternatively, each of these may have a square end 42 (see Fig. 8) level with the top surface of a playground, gym floor or the like, and may be suitably secured thereto by brackets 43 and suitable screws.

Now, it should be particularly noted that the present game device has some highly advantageous educational features. For example, one or more of the obstructions 24 may be provided with one or more pockets 3I to house one or more educational members 44.4 These educational members may be in the` form of fiat alphabet blocks, as shown'in Fig. 9; or, may be similar blocks, or sets of blocks, With pictures (or words) representing animals, birds, fish, reptiles, trees, ilowers, etc. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, an obstruction may be provided with as many as eight pockets.

Fig. 7 discloses a simple form of obstruction 45 which may be made in one piece, if preferred, with a plurality of integral pockets in the form of bores 46 extending inwardly and downwardly in a head 41 of the obstruction.

The educational members 44, in combination with the pocketed obstructions 24 and/or 45, provide many possibilities for educational games, or methods of play, exercise and education. For example, various contests and methods of play may be had betweenchildren of a group,` or groups, as follows:

Example 1 Give each child in a group within the enclosure a six-letter word and then give a go signal, to see which child will be first (or which ones will be first, second and third) in locating the proper educational members 44 (block letters) in different pockets of obstructions 24 or 45 to make the assigned word. The child, or children, rst building up the assigned word with the proper letter blocks may rush to the supervisor at an end or side of the enclosure.

However, and preferably, tables 48 are provided around the outer face of the member 26 so that the children may lay out and spell out the assigned word on a table before giving an indication of nish. The tables may be flat panels nailed to the member 26 or otherwise suitably secured thereto.

These tables may be provided with suitable indicia such as a single letter of the alphabet or successive numerals as shown, and the children may be individually provided with a table number or assigned to a particular table at the time a word is assigned to them. Lugs 49 may be provided at the bottom of the alphabet blocks 44 to fit into suitable apertures 50 provided in the tables 48. However, use thereof is not essential.

Example 2 To alter the game slightly the players may be merely told to each, from his own mental storehouse of words, select, say, a seven-letter word and make up the same from alphabet blocks within the pockets 3| or 46 of the obstructions 24 or 45, respectively. 'Ihe rst player achieving the objective, and reaching the supervisor, the confining space, or building up the word on a table, as decided at the start of the game, will be adjudged the winner. Alternatively, the first three may be adjudged the first, second and third best or winners.

Example 3 Individuals in a group may be each assigned the task of locating, say, three animal blocks (educational members 44 with a word or picture representation of an animal) from a general assortment of animal and nonanimal educational members within the pockets 3| or 46 of the obstructions 24 or 45, respectively, and of carrying the same to the confining space 3l. Thus, the first one, or the first three if it is decided that there are to be a rst, second and third best in the game, will rush to the conning channel 3l with three blocks having animal representations thereon. Alternatively to the conning channel, the tables 48 may be used by the individual players and completion or nish may be indicated by the players raising hands.

Example 4 One individual in a group may be assigned, or challenged to search the pockets and locate four educational members 44 (or blocks) with representations of animals, while another is assigned to select four blocks with representations of fish, another assigned to locate four blocks with representations of trees, etc., and then upon the go signal the search and careful selection will go forward with keen zest until, say, the rst or fastest three complete their assigned collection of four particular types of blocks. As heretofore explained, and as decided at the outset, the winning players may dash to the supervisor, the confining channel 3l or the tables 48.

Example 5 -The children in the group may be toldlthat after a go signal each is to Search the pockets of constructions 24 or 45 to locate four unlike blocks (e. g., one of an animal, one of a tree, one of a flower, and one of a iish) and, to rush to the confining channel 3l (or to tables 48 about the enclosure 25).

Many extensions and variations of these examples are possible, as will be readily appreciated.

If preferred, the enclosures I5 and 25 may be in the form of flat bottom posts adapted to rest upon the floor of a gymnasium, hard playground or the like, as will be readily appreciated, thus dispensing with the necessity of driving pointed posts into the ground.

That form of the invention shown in Fig. 4 preferably has the obstructions in certain of the rows staggered with respect to the obstructions in other of the rows in at least one direction. For example, the obstructions 24 of row l-I (and also obstructions at J and K) are staggeredlaterally relative to the obstructions in rows G and I, in order to provide devious paths, as well as straight paths for the players.

If preferred, that form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2 may have one or more of the obstructions I6 provided with a pocket 5| to receive educational members 44 so that this form of the invention may be used for the educational games hereinbefore described in detail.

Other variations and modications may be made within the scope of this invention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described the invention, what is Yclaimed as new is:

l. In a play device the combination of an enclosure; and a plurality of rows of spaced posts within said enclosure, said rows being disposed laterally relative to each other, and posts in at least one row being disposed opposite spaces between posts in another row, providing paths of movement extending longitudinally between adjacent rows and extending zigzag'transversely of the rows, said paths of movement beingof sufficient extent to permit the passage of persons.

2. In a play device the combination of an enclosure with a longitudinal axis and having oppositely disposed end portions respectively converging relative to said longitudinal axis away from the interior of said enclosure; and a plurality of laterally spaced rows of spaced obstructions extending in substantially the same direction as said longitudinal axis, one of said rows extending longitudinally beyond another row, said obstructions in one row being respectively disposed laterally opposite spaces between obstructions in another row, said obstructions in adjacent rows and in the same row being so spaced relative to each other and to said enclosure as to define substantially straight paths of movement longitudinally of and zigzag paths of movement transversely of said enclosure and to define a path of movement perimetrically of the interior of said enclosure, said paths of movement being of suiiicient extent to permit the passage of persons.

3. In a play device the combination of an enclosure; a plurality of obstructions coniined lwithin said enclosure, said obstructions being arranged in laterally spaced rows extending longitudinally of the enclosure, at least onevof said rows extending longitudinally beyond another row in said enclosure, one of said rows having obstructions therein disposed opposite spaces between obstructions in another row, obstructions in adjacent vrows and in the same row being so spaced relative to each other and to said enclosure as to define intersecting paths o movement extending longitudinally of, transversely of, and perimetrically of said enclosure within the coniines of the latter, said paths of movement being of suiiicient extent to permit the passage of a person, and at least some of said obstructions having at least one pocket therein lfor receiving a portable game piece having educational indicia thereon to be located by a person moving in said paths of movement in said enclosure; and display means associated with said enclosure, for receiving and displaying the indicia on the portable game piece located in and removed from said pockets by a person in said enclosure.

4. In a play device the combination of an enclosure; and a plurality of obstructions within said enclosure, said obstructions respectively including a post having a head rotatably mounted thereon, said head comprising a plurality of flat disc-like members spaced from each other longitudinally of the post and secured together by plate members extending longitudinally relative to the post and forming article-receiving cavities therein, and said obstructions defining with each other and with said enclosure paths of movement of suicient extent to permit 'the passage of persons.

5. In a play device the combination of an enclosure; and a plurality of obstructions confined within said enclosure, said obstructions being arranged in laterally spaced rows extending longitudinally of the enclosure, at least one of said rows extending longitudinally beyond another row in said enclosure, one oi said rows having the obstructions therein disposed opposite spaces between obstructions in another row, obstructions in adjacent rows and in the same row being so spaced relative to each other and to said enclosure as to dene intersecting paths of movement extending longitudinally of, transversely of, and perimetrically of said enclosure within the Vconnes of the latter, said paths of movement being of suicient extent to permit the passage of a person.

6. VThe invention dened in claim 2, wherein the obstructions comprise elongate longitudinally extending members having a length at least equal to the spaces in the adjacent rows.

'7. The invention defined in claim 2, wherein the obstructions comprise elongate members having a length greater than the length of the space between the obstructions in adjacent rows to thereby overlap the said obstructions.

8. The invention defined in claim 2, wherein the obstructions have game-piece receiving pockets therein.

9. The invention dened in claim 2, wherein at least some of the obstructions have removable game pieces thereon; and support means associated with the enclosure to receive and support the game pieces when removed from the obstructions.

10. The invention defined in claim 2, wherein a confining member is disposed in the perimetrical path and forms a game refuge for persons inside the enclosure,

l1. In a play device, the combination of an enclosure; and a plurality of laterally disposed rows of spaced longitudinally extending obstructions, said obstructions in one row being located opposite the spaces in the adjacent row and of a length greater than said space whereby the obstructions in adjacent rows are in overlapped relation and deiine straight paths between the rows and zigzag paths across the rows, said paths being of suiiiicent extent to permit the passage of persons.

12. In a play device, the combination of an enclosure; a plurality of spaced supports within said enclosure, each having a gaine-piece receiving section; game pieces having educational indicia thereon removably disposed in said gamepiece receiving sections; and a table for receiving and displaying the game pieces removed from the supports by players within the enclosure.

SAMUEL J. BENS. 

